LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., one of the top draft prospects in college football, will be out indefinitely after undergoing a procedure to repair a foot injury, coach Ed Orgeron announced on Wednesday.
Orgeron said there is no timetable for Stingley's return; the junior played in LSU's first three games this season, but sustained a foot injury during the practice week prior to the Tigers' first SEC game against Mississippi State.
"I appreciate all of the support from LSU and the fans," Stingley Jr. stated in a release from the school. "I'm doing all that I can to return to the field as soon as possible. I want to finish out the season with my teammates and I will do everything I can to get healthy so that I will be able to play again this year."
Stingley could enter the 2022 NFL Draft if he files for early eligibility. He was among the most impactful freshmen in college football in 2019, amassing SEC highs of six interceptions and 15 pass breakups for LSU's undefeated national championship team. Injuries rendered him less effective as a sophomore; he broke up five passes in seven games that season.
The grandson of former New England Patriots WR Darryl Stingley, who was tragically paralyzed in a 1978 preseason game, the younger Stingley was a five-star recruit from Baton Rouge's Dunham high school. NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah scouted tape from three of Stingley's games this summer, and compared him to New Orleans Saints Pro Bowl CB Marshon Lattimore.
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